Somewhere To Belong
by SonicAsura
Summary: Part of Cirque De Fiction and voting. Before even meeting Coby, Luffy lands on an island with a lonely creature that has a missing past and a lost promise. The boy befriends the creature and set off not only to become King of the Pirates but help his new friend find his memories and purpose.


**Welcome to the fifth entry for our 6-way vote. Jak and Daxter can be described as the childhood to many people around the world. The tale of two boys who go on an amazing adventure to face the forces of evil using the life force of their world, Eco. Jak and Daxter have the strongest bond amongst the cast as both stick to each other's side through thick and thin. Daxter went through hell and back to find Jak through the events of the game Daxter when Jak needed him the most. Something the Straw Hat gang are known for. This Pirate Crew declared war on the World Government for the sake of one of their crew members and friends. Pull the anchors and raise the sails! I present to you: Somewhere To Belong.**

_I had it. I am sick of this. It's always been like this since I was young. People would think of me as either a fool or some prophetic saviour! 'Time for you to train!' 'Get out or I'll turn you both into ferns!' Or some other bullshit but back then it wasn't as bad as it was now. To be sent into this hellish world where the tags change to monster, freak or 'I can't trust you anymore. It really hurts when it came from those you used to trust._

_They turn your back on you even when you saved their lives or all the fun times you shared with them. Yet amongst everybody he didn't, my best friend had never turned his back on me. When we were separated, he was the one that actually looked for me instead of leaving me in a place that made hell look like a flower field. Even though it took 2 years for him to find me and even when I changed for the rest, he never gave up on me. Yet now, he's gone..._

_A simple solo mission had went to hell and my buddy... He's gone. And they just gave up without even trying too find him! Well fuck them. I'm not giving up on the only person who had my back through the thick and thin. I'm going to find my buddy. He saved me and this time I'll be the one to save him. D... I'll find you even if I have to lose my own humanity to do it!_

East Blue, the calmest and quietest amongst the four blues. Often called the weakest from the low bounty pirates that rampage around the parts unlike the much higher and more dangerous bounties in the other blues and the mythical Grand Line. Yet, it held its own peculiar mystery. The Phantom Island, an island that is said to appear out of nowhere. Not even the best compass or Log Pose could detect the island or when it would appear.

Few had found this mysterious island and fewer were able to land ashore on its beach. However not many left for it was the terrible things that lay in the vast twisted jungle of the island that claimed their very lives. Pools of dark purple that incinerated everything they touch, twisted creatures of unbelievable malice and tales of a monstrous demon that feasted on those unlucky to come across it. Only one had escaped and was deathly scared from the experience. Even a single mention of the island put the survivor into a terrified frenzy. Since then to see the island was considered an bad omen. To land on it's shores was welcoming your own demise.

"I never thought I would find land so quickly! I didn't even get my first crewmate either!" Cried out a young slightly raspy male voice as a small dinghy had found its way to shore. This particular shore belonging to an island covered in eerily dark jungle, the trees deathly gray with ash purple sickly leaves and thorny vines, and a thin miasma that hovered about. It spelled haunted or sinister to anyone who saw the land. Yet not reaching into the mind of this particular visitor.

It was a young man around 5'7 in height. He had messy black hair, wide childlike eyes with only black tiny pupils, a scar under his left eye, lean toned body and wore a red vest with yellow buttons, blue shorts with white fur cuffs at the end, brown sandals and a straw hat with a red ribbon. "This place is kinda of spooky. Ooh! Maybe I can get a ghost to join my crew!" The young teen chuckled. "Well, at least I can find some food and water here. I ate everything earlier!" The young man laughed before stepping foot into the eerie jungle.

In another part of the wicked island was a clearing unlike any other. It has no vegetation but instead large dark purple crystals and piles of bones scattered about. The rock cliff and ground were covered in scratch marks, deep gouges and even scorch marks as if a dragon had dwelled in this hellish place. Sounds of flesh tearing and bones cracking could be heard by the largest piles of bones as something big, black and bulb shaped peeked from it.

An ear twitched as the sounds stopped and deep rumbling growl came instead. The leg of a reptile dropped to the ground as whatever was eating the appendage began to move. It wasn't happy either when a bone pile exploded in a blast of purple as a shadow of a monster roared from afar. The young traveler had stopped once hearing the monstrous roar. "Whoa! What was that?! Some kind of monster? I wonder if it has any meat that it could share with me!" He said with a grin.

"Hey! Is anyone out there?!!! My name is Monkey D. Luffy!! Do you have any meat on you?!" The young man or Luffy shouted as loud as he could. From the trees above, something large and beastly watched the boy. Two obsidian orbs locked onto the youth as it silently observed. The sound of stomach growling made Luffy patted his stomach. "Aaah... I'm so hungry but I haven't seen anything to eat yet." Luffy moaned hungrily before going deeper into the jungle unaware of his stalker.

To the beast, it didn't like humans at all. It lived here since the beginning and knew things about the energy that flowed through his veins called Eco and the place he called home after waking up with sore feeling im his head. Humans were the reason it's home was contaminated by the Dark Eco that made up his being. Dark Eco was blood just like it's other five counterparts were within his veins. The island he named, Sandover used to be beautiful and peaceful ever since he could remember. Yet like his purpose, it was taken! These humans in white with those blue anchors had fiddled with the Dark Eco of his pond!

Their meddling had tainted the very tree that gave life to this jungle and twisted it into a nightmare! The fruits were poison if he didn't extract the Dark Eco inside. These fruits poisoned the animals that are eating them making them sickly or even worse become monsters. Then they spread the taint to their predators until the whole land was consumed. He couldn't let it spread further so he began to hunt down every infected animal that had chances of leaving the land.

It began a constant hunt and unwanted feast for every one he caught, the worst it changed him. Because of those humans, he no longer looked like himself! He couldn't feel the other parts of his own blood anymore but the overwhelming darkness! Now his own search for his purpose had become impossible for his new form held a deadly weakness. Without the light that once dwelled in his blood, it was now a deadly poison to him.

The sun he once loved was now his killer for a single touch would burn him to ash. He needed the safety of someone's shadow. He needed to form a Bond of Eco if he was going to be able to leave. It was an old pact that the darkness taught him. To bind his essence to someone else and share their unique qualities. If he bonded with someone, then he could walk in the light without burning but they would gain his own power in return.

Seeing what his own island had become made him snarl at the idea but he had a purpose even if he forgot almost everything before his island. And going against his nature was something he would never do. This child was just one of many he tested in the past and everyone of them had failed! Though this boy was very odd. He was unfazed at the jungle before him. He wasn't affected by his roar! The child was even excited to find someone that he practically screamed out his own position!

There were still monsters that lurked around but he left them be since none even have the ability to leave this cursed land at all by air or sea. This boy, Monkey D. Luffy, despite being a juvenile human was more of a foolish and wild pup! Yet, it felt so familiar with how excited the boy was as if he craved adventure. Another stomach growl had him look at the boy once more. "There is nothing to eat here. These fruits just look plain gross and I haven't seen an animal in sight." Luffy groaned as the beast couldn't help sweatdrop.

He couldn't believe he was doing this. But he had no other option. If he was going to remember his purpose then this boy would have to do. His mission was in the hands of a pup. Yet somehow it didn't feel like the dumbest thing he did before. He crouched down on his haunches before leaping forth and landed in front of the child. Black pupils met pure obsidian as child now faced what could be called a true monster.

This creature was large standing at least 3 times the boy's height, the top half was human from the muscle and toned chest, bulky arms that could crush logs in it's pale white grip with large black claws, the head also human except for the long mane of silver gray, four curved long black horns, a jagged maw almost like a jack o' lantern, long pointed ears, the bottom half was beast like covered in gray fur, legs bent in an almost werewolf like way, large taloned feet that grab someone, a long tail with a large black bulb of sorts at the end and two rigged black blades on his shoulders.

The child's black pupils suddenly grew as they turned into bright shining stars. "Soooooo coooooool!!!!" Luffy called out in amazement of the creature before him. The beast couldn't help but be surprised by the child's reaction. "C...c...coool???" A deep husky male voice spoke from the creature. It didn't help as those stars only got even bigger as if the child was hitting the ultimate jackpot.

"This is so cool! I never seen something so amazing in my whole life! My name is Monkey D. Luffy! What's your name?" The young boy asked offering his hand. What was his name anyway? The darkness had probably swallowed it along with everything else. The beast shook his head as the boy frowned. "You don't know your name?" Luffy asked as the beast nodded. "Hmmm... How about I give you a new one?" The boy asked as the beast was surprised once more.

Though he did need a name if he was going to bound himself to Luffy. The beast didn't hesitate to nod. "Alright. Let's see... It has to go perfectly with your cool scary look! I remember a fairytale that I read once about a cool and funny skeleton guy! What was his name? Jim? Johnny? Jackie? No wait... how about... Jak?" Luffy asked as the beast's eyes widened. That name... It was so familiar... In fact it sounded really right. He could feel a bit of darkness clear up hearing that name.

_"Hey Jak! Ready for some action?! Don't worry Jak! I'll save you before you know it! I've been looking for you for two years! Say something just this yet! Where would you be without me Jak?"_ A raspy yet familiar voice go through his head. The voice sounded friendly like he could trust it with no second thought... Could it be he was looking for someone? "Jak...Y...yes." The beast spoke despite his broken voice. A big toothy grin spread across the young boy's face. "Then Jak is your name from now on! Do you want to join my crew Jak? I want to gather people to be part of my pirate crew! My dream is to become King of the Pirates for its the title of the freest person on the sea!" Luffy explained as Jack's interest was pique.

"Free...?" The beast asked the child. "Yeah. Free to have fun and go on amazing adventures with friends! You'll be the first to join because aren't we friends already?" Luffy asked as Jak couldn't help but feel moved by the boy's words. Friends... Did he had friends before? That familiar voice made him feel happy hearing it. Was that person a friend? This pup was delusional but he couldn't disagree with the strange logic. Though he needed to know.

"Trapped... Sun... deadly... Need...bond...with...someone." Jak spoke as best he could with his broken speech. "You need to bond with someone to leave? Then bond with me! I can't leave my first crewmate trapped in this creepy place! Do you have a dream yourself, Jak?" Luffy questioned. A dream? He did... A purpose but still... "Yes... Find...missing...friend...out...there." He responded to the young team. "You lost your friend and want to find them? That sounds like a good goal to me! We might find your friend on our journey! So let's do this Jak!" Luffy chuckled before offering his hand once more.

Jak stood up on his hind legs and walked to the optimistic teen. He took the child's tiny hand into his own large one before channeling a bit of his power. To bond with Luffy, he needed to give the child a sample of his own power to mark him. The bond came with it's own benefits but also drawbacks. Their lives were now connected and if one died then the other would. His powers also formed a small seed into the boy's own being.

It would sprout over time and grow so Jak would have to teach him to control whatever power bloomed first especially his Dark Eco. Finally their minds and souls would be linked and their thoughts, powers, feelings and even dreams are open to the other. They had to work as one and fight as one if they were going to survive! A mark of purple had appeared under Luffy's other eye. It took the shape of a talon like streak as Jak cut off the transfer knowing it was complete. Now to test if the bond was forged correctly.

**_"Luffy. Do you hear my voice?"_** Rang through the young boy's head as he looked shocked looking around before facing the beast. "Was that you, Jak?" Luffy asked as Jak nodded excitedly. **_"Yes. You and I are now bound to each other through mind and soul. It was the only way for me to be able to leave. We can easily speak with each through our link whether by our voice or through our head."_** Jak explained. "Oh! Basically we are one in some magic way!" Luffy stated as Jak nodded.

"That's really cool! What else can you do?? Can you shrink so you can fit in my boat?" Luffy asked as Jak merely decided to show something more interesting. The beast turned a complete black before sinking into the ground. The shadow then attached itself to the teen's own shadow before morphing into a complete duplicate. **_"I can become part of your shadow now that we are bound to each other! Now let's go pup! You said there are adventures off this island? I would like to join them all!"_** Jak exclaimed as Luffy gave his extra a bright smile.

"Alright then! Let's set sail! I'm going to become King of the Pirates! And we're going to find your friend." Luffy laughed as Jak couldn't help but enjoy the boy's own happiness enveloping him. He was going to fulfill this promise and maybe find out who he was. Thus began the tale of a boy whose soul was young and innocent and the beast that was swallowed in his own darkness. They were opposites but strange twist in fate brought them together. A new world had opened including a new future. For both would find...where they truly belong.

**And that is it everyone! I thought it was time for Jak to go above and beyond to find Daxter considering the ottsel did the same for Jak. Plus Jak needs more dependable friends especially ones that can accept his dark side or Dark Jak. I hoped you guys like this tale. Until next time, set for One Piece!**


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